Southwestern Pennsylvania was once known for its local breweries, with loyalty to specific beers often determined by one’s place of residence. The Victor Brewing Company, founded by Frank Maddas in 1907 with a capital of $400,000, exemplified this trend.
Southwestern Pennsylvania was once known for its local breweries, with loyalty to specific beers often determined by one’s place of residence. The Victor Brewing Company, founded by Frank Maddas in 1907 with a capital of $400,000, exemplified this trend. Maddas expanded his brewery ventures by establishing Republic in 1909 and Greensburg in 1916 to cater to different local markets.
However, the onset of prohibition in January 1920 halted Victor’s brewing activities. In response, Maddas rebranded the company as the Jeannette Beverage Company, producing de-alcoholized beer. After prohibition ended in 1933, Victor resumed operations and quickly scaled up to produce 100,000 barrels of beer annually, marketed under the Old Shay and Steinhouse labels.
Despite the revival, Maddas faced legal repercussions for his actions during prohibition. In July 1940, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Maddas to pay nearly $600,000 in penalties and interest to the federal government for income generated from the sale of illegal alcohol. Victor Brewing Company was subsequently placed into receivership and declared bankrupt on January 31, 1941. Fort Pitt Brewing acquired the Jeannette plant for $333,000 in February 1941.
Maddas continued to face legal challenges, including a federal lawsuit in 1953 seeking $1.2 million in back income taxes related to his illegal beer sales during prohibition. As a result, his residence was auctioned, and he remained there until his death on September 17, 1955.
Fort Pitt Brewing closed the Victor operations on October 25 and transferred 60 employees to its Sharpsburg plant. In 1958, the parent company of Fort Pitt opted to exit the brewing industry, selling the brewery complex to Papercraft Corporation in June 1957. Papercraft Corporation, known for manufacturing artificial trees, gift wrap, and ribbons, acquired the site with plans for diversification.
In June 1966, Papercraft Corporation invested $100,000 in new equipment and hired an additional 200 employees. Furthermore, they purchased land in O’Hara Township to construct a 780,000-square-foot plant, which was completed in early 1967. Around 75% of the equipment and inventory from the Jeannette plant was relocated to the new facility, leading to the closure of the Jeannette plant in the mid-1970s.
